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By Theo Burman
Live News Reporter
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The Sunstone Solar project, a 1.2 gigawatt solar and energy storage facility that would be the largest solar power facility in the U.S., has been approved for construction in Oregon.
Developer Pine Gate Renewables announced that the Oregon Energy Facility Siting Council approved the project for construction in Morrow County, after a hearing on November 14. The whole of Oregon has 1.9 gigawatts of solar power facilities, meaning the new project almost doubles the state's capacity in this energy source.
The project will see the construction of 9.5 miles of transmission lines, paired with advanced battery storage, enabling energy supply even during non-sunny periods. Its size and scope surpass any previous solar installations in the U.S., making it a milestone in the transition toward cleaner energy sources, which Oregon has prioritized with ambitious renewable energy targets.
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Construction of the Sunstone Solar project is expected to commence in 2025, with full operation anticipated by 2028. The facility will cover approximately 7,000 acres and is projected to power over 240,000 homes. The addition of battery storage units will also provide resilience against power outages and fluctuations, a crucial feature in stabilizing renewable energy grids.
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The project is expected to generate significant economic benefits for the state, including job creation during the construction phase and ongoing operations. Additionally, it will contribute significantly to Oregon's goal of sourcing 100 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2040.
According to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), solar energy constituted nearly 16 percent of new electricity generation capacity in the first half of 2024. Currently, the state of Oregon sources around 4 percent of its electricity from solar power, which is enough to power 250,000 homes.
Maggie Sasser, Pine Gate Renewables' vice president of government & external affairs, told Newsweek that the project was built with the ground up with the clean energy in mind, saying: "The project will be built in stages and construction is slated to begin in 2026. Pine Gate worked extensively with Morrow County, Oregon and other stakeholders to ensure the Sunstone Solar project is a beneficial investment in the area with broad community support.
"The project represents well over a billion dollars in clean energy infrastructure investment and a cost effective supply of clean power to meet the growing electricity demand in the Pacific Northwest."
In a statement on the approval, Pine Gate Renewables CEO Ben Catt said: "Oregon's energy facility permitting process is one of the most rigorous in the entire country.
"The recent unanimous permit approval is a testament to the way our team worked with stakeholders to provide a win-win for Oregon and the Morrow County community."
Currently, the largest solar power facility in the U.S. is the DeGiovanni Franklin Solar Plant in New Jersey, which has a capacity of 983 megawatts per hour. Pine Gate Renewables owns and manages 17 other solar power projects in Oregon.
There are now more than five million solar installations in the U.S., according to the Solar Energy Industries Association.
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Update 12/12/24, 11:14 a.m. ET: This article was updated with comment from Maggie Sasser.
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